Diverse workshops for diverse lifestyles: Student center at Humboldt State teaches sustainable living

A local workshop is offering the community a shot at learning how to make chocolate right on the eve of Valentine's Day.

Humboldt State University's Campus Center for Appropriate Technology will hold a free "Chocolate Making & Aphrodisiac" workshop Thursday at 6 p.m., where people are invited to learn about responsible beekeeping, sustainable consumer habits and how to make chocolate with honey in it.

"The chocolate is formulated to essentially raise libidos in men and women," said Stephanie Calderon, who will host the workshop. "That's why 'aphrodisiac' is in the workshop's name."

The center, according to its website, is a student-run and student-funded live-in demonstration home on the university campus. Run by three student directors, who live in the home for a year and oversee about 18 part-time student employees, the center offers tours and workshops to students and the general public as part of its mission of "education by example."

Calderon, a previous co-director and education coordinator at the center, is starting her own company -- Honeychild's Chocolates.

"I've been exposing a lot of my friends and family to the chocolate I've been making," Calderon said. "I'm excited to teach people how to do it at the center, which has a huge success rate when it comes to helping people learning to make their own products themselves."

Meagan Butler, one of three current co-directors of the center, said the center is integral to the community.

"We invite the community in and show them ways they can have less of an impact on the environment," Butler said. "We have the ability to teach people a lot. There's so much to learn on all different scales."

Jacob Ferdman, also a former co-director of the center, said he learned more there than in any of the classes he took at the university.

"The center has a mutual goal," Ferdman said. "It's an awesome space for skill sharing. My peers were my teachers."

In addition to various workshops throughout the month, such as a beer brewing workshop on Feb. 19, the center has monthly potlucks and "volunteer Fridays." For more information about the center, visit ccathsu.com.